OBJECTIVES: TLW…
1) Summarize Vietnam’s history as a French colony and its struggle for independence.
2) Examine how and why the U.S. became involved in the Vietnam conflict.
3) Describe the expansion of U.S. military involvement under President Johnson.
THEMES1) EXPANDING DEMOCRACY:America’s mission in Vietnam was to halt thespread of communism-a threat to democracy.
2) CONSTITUTIONAL CONCERNS:Among the constitutional issues of the Vietnam War era were the president’s powers as commander inchief and First Amendment rights. Both the TonkinGulf Resolution and the Pentagon Papers sparkedcontroversy.
THEMES3) CIVIL RIGHTS: Initially, civil rights leaders werereluctant to criticize the Vietnam War, fearingthey would jeopardize President Johnson’ssupport for their cause. When the warthreatened Great Society reforms, Dr. MartinLuther King, Jr., and other civil rights leadersvoiced their opposition.
THEMES4) THE AMERICAN DREAM:In the 1960’s, members of the
counterculturerejected the American dream,
rebelled againsttraditional American values, and
chose to dropout of mainstream society.
THEMES
5) MEDIA:The media can sway public opinion and
dictateevents.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GW8Z9avPUvE (Mass Media and Vietnam)
http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/18/world/meast/gaza-israel-strike/index.html?hpt=hp_t1 (current example-Israel vs. Hamas)
INTRODUCTION VIDEO- “ROAD TO WAR” HTTP://WWW.HISTORY.COM/TOPICS/VIETNAM-WAR/VIDEOS#THE-ROAD-TO-WAR
U.S. FOREIGN POLICY/U.S. CIVILIAN SUPPORT FOR THE WAR
Open Stat Document Instructions:• Partner up with the person
sitting next to you.• On a piece of paper write
down…A) What can you infer from the stats on “U.S. Troops in Vietnam”? (5 mins)B) What can you infer from the stats on “U.S. Soldiers Killed”? (5 Mins) C) What can you infer from the stats on “American Opinion On The Vietnam War”? (5 mins)
Historical Timeline• 1960: President
Kennedy elected .• 1963: President
Kennedy assassinated and is replaced by Vice-President Lyndon B. Johnson.
• 1964: President LBJ elected.
• 1968: President Nixon elected.
• 1974: President Nixon resigns due to Watergate Scandal.
• 1974: Vice-President Ford replaces Nixon.
U.S. UNOFFICIAL INVOLVEMENT IN VIETNAM• In 1950 President
Truman begins to provide economic aide to France in Vietnam to defeat the Vietminh.
• $15 million sent in 1950.• Spent $1 Billion between
1951-1954.• Domino Theory=If
Vietnam falls to communism then all other Asian countries will also fall. Therefore, the U.S. must take a stand against communism in Vietnam.
THE VIETMINH VS. FRANCE• Ho Chi Minh
declares Vietnamese independence from ALL foreign rule.
• Ho forms the Vietminh, a military organization, to fight for independence against foreign rule.
• Ho vows to liberate South Vietnam from French rule and oppression.
THE FRENCH LOSE: SURPRISE, SURPRISE! In May of 1954 the French are
surrounded and defeated by the Vietminh in the northern city of Dien Bien Phu (French Indo China War).
Geneva Accords=1) Peace agreement between the Vietminh and South Vietnam that divided Vietnam at the 17th parallel. 2) France agreed to permanently pull out of Vietnam. 3) Free elections will be held in 1956 to choose a leader for a newly united Vietnam.
INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT (PAGES 730-735)Instructions: Use the words listed below to create a historical story. Keep the words in order as they are listed, the story entirely in your own words, and underline the vocabulary words in your story. When you finish start filling out your study guide (French Indo-China War to U.S. Combat Troops in Vietnam.) or work on another C Level Assignment. 1. France and Vietnam. 2. Ho Chi Minh3. Vietminh 4. Geneva Accords5. 17th Parallel 6. Ngo Dinh Diem7. Eisenhower/Kennedy 8. Vietcong9.North Vietnamese Army 10. Army of the Republic of Vietnam11. Assassinations of Diem and Kennedy12. LBJ 13. Tonkin Gulf Resolution14. Operation Rolling Thunder15.U.S. Combat Troops in Vietnam
SOUTH VIETNAMESE LEADERSHIP
• The U.S. throws its support into Ngo Dinh Diem, an anti-communist.
• Just prior to the 1956 unifying elections the U.S. can see that Diem will not win. Ho Chi Minh will win easily. As a result, Diem and the U.S. call off the elections!
• Diem proves to be an incompetent and corrupt leader of South Vietnam.
VIETCONG AND THE HO CHI MINH TRAIL
• In 1957 a communist group was formed in South Vietnam to oppose Diem and the U.S.=Vietcong (VC).
• The Vietcong were organized in to cells and waged guerilla (terrorist) type warfare.
• In 1959 the VC were successful in assassinating 1,200 of Diem’s government officials.
VIETCONG/HO CHI MINH TRAIL In 1960 Ho Chi Minh
supported the Vietcong and began supplying them weapons and supplies by using paths running through the mountains of Laos and Cambodia.
U.S. is forced to fight 2 enemies: 1) Vietcong=South Vietnamese guerillas (civilians). 2) North Vietnam Army (NVA)=official army of North Vietnam.
VIETCONG CODE OF BEHAVIOR When the Vietcong entered a village they
were to obey a strict code of behavior. All members were issued with a series of 'directives'. These included:" (1) Not to do what is likely to damage the land and crops or spoil the houses and belongings of the people; (2) Not to insist on buying or borrowing what the people are not willing to sell or lend; (3) Never to break our word; (4) Not to do or speak what is likely to make people believe that we hold them in contempt; (5) To help them in their daily work (harvesting, fetching firewood, carrying water, sewing, etc.)."
JFK AND SOUTH VIETNAM JFk wins the 1960 election and
inherits the Vietnam conflict. JFK wants to NOT look soft on
communism so he sends more economic aid to Diem (“sink or swim with him”) and several thousand military advisors to train the South Vietnamese army.
By 1963, JFK has sent 16,000 military personnel to Vietnam to protect the military advisors.
JFk is seriously considering pulling completely out of Vietnam IF South Vietnam can show they can soundly govern themselves.
INSTABILITY OF SOUTH VIETNAMESE GOV’T Diem became very
unpopular with the South Vietnamese citizens because…1) Private property was confiscated and villagers were corralled into protected areas. 2) government corruption. 3) Persecution, imprisonment, and killing of Buddhist monks; destruction of Buddhist temples=monks burning selves in streets to protest.
OVERTHROW OF DIEM REGIME In order for the U.S. to
stay and help South Vietnam there had to be political order=Diem had to go!
On November 1, 1963 the U.S. organizes a coup to remove Diem from office. In the process Diem is Assassinated.
2 Weeks later JFK is assassinated and instead of leaving Vietnam the U.S. will get involved deeper.
PRESIDENT LYNDON B. JOHNSON President Johnson takes
over for JFK and promises to not escalate the war.
In reference to Vietnam he said “It’s their war.” And “I will not send American boys to Vietnam to do what Asian boys should do for themselves.”
But “If I…let the communists take over South Vietnam then…my nation would be seen as an appeaser and we would…find it impossible to accomplish anything… anywhere on the globe.”
TONKIN GULF RESOLUTION LBJ had authorized secret raids to be
conducted into North Vietnam. In response to the raids the North Vietnamese twice attack the USS MADDOX in the Gulf of Tonkin on different nights.
Torpedoes miss, but according to our government the U.S. navy returns fire and sinks the North Vietnamese boat during the second attack.
LBJ gets congress to pass the Tonkin Gulf Resolution on August 7, 1964=allows the president of the U.S. to take military action against any armed attack without having to officially declare war.
TONKIN GULF INCIDENT??http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1n0eVea9Zg&feature=related&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UWi57I3vcc&feature=related
DID THE TONKIN GULF INCIDENT EVER OCCUR OR WAS IT FAKED SO THAT THE U.S. HAD AN EXCUSE TO GO TO WAR?
RESULT OF TONKIN GULF RESOLUTION1) LBJ orders “Operation Rolling
Thunder” in February 1965=bombing of North Vietnam by the Air Force. We dropped more bombs in the first month than we did in all of WWII. (ordered to not bomb any North Vietnamese ports or anywhere near China.)
2) In March the first American combat troops arrived in South Vietnam.
3) By June 50,000 U.S. soldiers were fighting the Vietcong.
EXIT SLIP
1) Write one thing you learned today.
2) Rate your understanding of today’s topic on a scale of 1-10. What can you do to improve your understanding?
3) Write one thing you didn’t understand today.
4) Write your name.5) Turn in the Exit Slip to me before
you leave today.
